Callahan's Legacy

It's more than 20 years since Spider Robinson revealed the existence of Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, and the original bar is gone. Mike Callahan is gone, too, but his spirit lives on in the new bar, named Mary's Place for his daughter. On this particular day, nothing seems to be going right for Jake Stonebender, proprietor of Mary's Place.

Callahan's Key

Nobody blends good science with bad puns as brilliantly as Spider Robinson. Now he's back with the latest chapter of the Callahan saga: an improbable tale of impending doom, a road trip, space, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.

Callahan's Con

In the discreet little Key West bar that Jake Stonebender established, Fast Eddie Costigan learned to curse back at parrots as he played the house piano; the Reverend Tom Hauptman learned to tend bar bare-chested, and Long-Drink McGonnigle discovered the margarita. Nobody even noticed them save the universe.

Variable Star

At his death in 1988, Robert A. Heinlein left a legacy that almost single-handedly defined modern science fiction. But one of Heinlein's masterpieces was never finished. In 1955, he began work on Variable Star, a powerful and passionate tale of two young lovers driven apart by pride, power, and the vastness of interstellar time and space. Now, the Heinlein estate has authorized award-winning author Spider Robinson to expand his outline into a full-length novel. And the result is vintage Heinlein.

Monster Hunter Memoirs: Sinners

With New Orleans out of control, Chad Oliver Gardenier, one of Monster Hunter International's premier hunters, has been dispatched from Seattle to reinforce the beleaguered members of MHI'S Hoodoo Squad in their fight against the darkness.

We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse, Book 1

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.

The Free Lunch

Mike and Annie, refugees from the world outside, find a home underground, behind the scenes of Dreamworld, a theme park where hope exists as it does nowhere else. But Dreamworld is threatened by a jealous competitor who kills what he can’t have. As if this were not trouble enough, the two discover that each day there are more of the “trolls” who maintain Dreamworld than there were the day before. As the trolls continue to multiply, they must discover why, or it could mean the end of Dreamworld - and the real world.

Shadow of Victory

Sometimes things don't work out exactly as planned. The Mesan Alignment has a plan - one it's been working on for centuries. A plan to remake the galaxy and genetically improve the human race - its way. Until recently things have gone pretty much as scheduled, but then the Alignment hit a minor bump in the road called the Star Empire of Manticore. So the Alignment engineered a war between the Solarian League, the biggest and most formidable interstellar power in human history.

Friday

Friday, a secret courier, is thrown into an assignment under the command of her employer, a man she knows only as "Boss." She operates from and over a near-future Earth in North America, a vulgar and chaotic land comprised of dozens of independent states. In America's disunion, Friday keeps her balance nimbly with quick, expeditious solutions as she conquers one calamity and scrape after another.

Another Fine Myth: Myth Adventures, Book 1

Start at the beginning, in Another Fine Myth, as Skeeve, an apprentice wizard, meets the demon Aahz. Though it's not love, or even like at first sight they form a connection - saving their lives - between them. Follow them in Myth Conceptions, as Skeeve and Aahz test their talent when they decide to take on an entire army themselves and continue on in Myth Directions. Then Skeeve finds himself alone with his own apprentice applicant, a king, in Hit or Myth and must deal with a medieval Mob!

The Cat Who Walks through Walls

When a stranger attempting to deliver a cryptic message is shot dead at his dinner table, Richard Ames is thrown headfirst into danger, intrigue, and other dimensions where Lazarus Long still thrives, where Jubal Harshaw lives surrounded by beautiful women, and where a daring plot to rescue the sentient computer called Mike can change the direction of all human history.

Hard Luck Hank: Stank Delicious, Book 5

Belvaille has cemented its place as the most important system in the galaxy and Hank is working as an official Factotum, negotiating deals between gangs and noblemen under the watchful eye of the Arch Minister. When his ever-capable butler, Cliston, is approached to become the General Manager of a Super Class glocken team, Hank is hired not only as protection, but as a player. Hank finds himself thrown into the most grueling bloodsport in the galaxy and tasked with finding out how and why players are being abducted.

The Secret of the Dark Forest: Way of the Shaman Series, Book 3

The virtual world of Barliona is a place of rest and entertainment - but not for everyone. It has become a survival arena for Daniel Mahan after he was sentenced to eight years in its virtual jail. Mahan has been through it all: the back-breaking work in the mines, betrayal by other prisoners, and finally, the retrial which has released him into Barliona's common world. What more could one want? Mahan could have kept a low profile and enjoyed relative freedom while serving the rest of his time.

The Number of the Beast

The wickedest, most wonderful science fiction story ever created in our - or any - time. Anything can begin at a party in California - and everything does in this bold masterwork by a grand master of science fiction. When four supremely sensual and unspeakably cerebral humans - two male, two female - find themselves under attack from aliens who want their awesome quantum breakthrough, they take to the skies - and zoom into the cosmos on a rocket roller-coaster ride of adventure, danger, ecstasy, and peril.

Owner's Share: Trader's Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 6

When Diurnia Salvage and Transport undergoes a change in management, Captain Ishmael Horatio Wang finds himself adrift in a sea of red ink and intrigue. He dives in only to find that he is over his head in a universe where cutthroat competition takes on an all new meaning. What tragic price will Captain Wang pay for his Owner's Share?

Time Enough for Love: The Lives of Lazarus Long

Time Enough for Love is the capstone and crowning achievement of Heinlein's famous Future History series. Lazarus Long is so in love with life that he simply refuses to die. Born in the early 1900s, he lives through multiple centuries, his love for time ultimately causing him to become his own ancestor. Time Enough for Loveis his lovingly detailed account of his journey through a vast and magnificent timescape of centuries and worlds. Using the voice of Lazarus, Heinlein expounds his own philosophies, including his radical ideas on sexual freedom.

'All You Zombies': Five Classic Stories

This collection from grand master Robert A. Heinlein includes five short stories sure to please science fiction fans everywhere. The title story tells the tale of a young man who meets a time-traveling bartender whose origins - and relation to the young man - are more complex and stranger than the Ouroboros ring on the barkeep's finger.

Shining Fury: Tome of Bill Series

At first glance, most see only a shy girl from New York, but to the denizens of the night - vampires, witches, and their ilk - I am a nightmare given flesh, born to raze their kind from this very earth. I am the Icon, the Shining One, the last defender of humanity against the oncoming tide of darkness. They say my coming was foretold, that prophecies speak of a beacon of hope who will light the way during the end days. It is said I am destined to vanquish the last of the Magi, and face the Night Spawn in the battle for the fate of mankind.

Glory Road

. C. “Scar” Gordon was on the French Riviera recovering from a tour of combat in Southeast Asia, but he hadn’t given up his habit of scanning the personals in the newspaper. One ad in particular leapt out at him: "Are you a coward? This is not for you. We badly need a brave man. He must be 23 to 25 years old, in perfect health, at least six feet tall, weigh about 190 pounds, fluent English with some French, proficient with all weapons, some knowledge of engineering and mathematics essential...."

Expanded Universe, Vol. 1

Robert A. Heinlein has been hailed as one of the most forward-thinking science fiction writers of all time, and Expanded Universe (presented in two volumes) offers the perfect collection of his works to provide listeners with true insights into his uniquely creative mind.

Stardance

Shara Drummond was a gifted dancer and a brilliant choreographer, but she could not pursue her dream of dancing on Earth. So she went to space, creating a new art form in three dimensions. And when the aliens arrived, there was only one way to prove that the human race deserved not just to survive, but to reach the stars. The only hope was Shara, with her stardance.

Master of Formalities

Even when finding oneself engaged in interstellar war, good form must be observed. Our story is set thousands of years after the Terran Exodus, where two powerful, planet-dominating families - the elegant House Jakabitus and the less refined Hahn Empire - have reached a critical point in their generations-long war. Master Hennik, the Hahn ruler's only son, has been captured, and the disposition of his internment may represent a last and welcome chance for peace.

The Rolling Stones

One of Heinlein's best-loved works, The Rolling Stones follows the rollicking adventures of the Stone family as they tour the solar system. It doesn't seem likely for twins to have the same middle name. Even so, it's clear that Castor and Pollux Stone both have "Trouble" written in that spot on their birth certificates. Of course, anyone who's met their grandmother Hazel would know they came by it honestly.

Publisher's Summary

This omnibus edition contains the trio of books that introduced the world to Mike Callahan, Jake Stonebender, Doc Webster, Mickey Finn, Fast Eddie Costigan, Long-Drink McGonnigle, Ralph Von Wau Wau, and the rest of the regulars of Callahan's Place, in the stories that helped Spider Robinson to win both a John W. Campbell Award and a legion of fans.

Callahan's Crosstime Saloon is the neighborhood tavern to all of time and space, where the regulars are anything but. These time travelers, talking dogs, alcoholic vampires, and cybernetic aliens really, truly care about each other. It's the rare kind of place where bad puns are as appreciated as good conversation.

Time Travelers Strictly Cash is their policy. Lay your money on the bar, name your poison, step up to the line drawn on the barroom floor, and after drinking make a toast and throw the glass into the fireplace. It's an odd tradition but one that's led to some interesting stories.

Callahan's Secret may be something even the regulars would never guess. Then again, it may be as simple as listening to those post-toast stories. After all, like Callahan says, shared pain is lessened and shared joy is increased, a simple concept that could, after a few drinks, lead to saving the world.

Having read all of Robinson's Callahan books from this one through Callahan's Key (available here on Audible), it was a pleasure to revisit these stories where the Callahan legend begins. New readers should not beleive Robinson when he says in the Forward (or "Backward" as he calls it) that there will be no more Callahan stories. He went on to write a number of other Callahan books between this one and "Key". They are all just as fun.

My only beef is with the narrator. The book is made up not so much of chapters as with interrelated short stories, yet the narrator makes the transition from the end of one into the beginning of the next without so much as a pause for a breath.

With luck, Robinson and Audible will see fit to add all the intervening books that fall between this one and Callahans Key.

If you are a fan of Science Fiction, Mysteries, puns, riddles, tall tales and just plain good story telling, I highly recommend this book.

I had never heard of Callahan's place. I downloaded it out of curiosity. Oh the puns, such groaners, but oh how I grew to love those mutants and misfits. I miss them already. I am going to listen to the next Callahan book, and then go back and listen to this one again and again.

I was totally unfamiliar with Spider and Callahan's place. I selected this book based on its rating and its length. One of the BEST decisions I ever made. I can't wait to listen to more of the Callahan saga.

I had never heard of Callahan's Place, mostly I bought this based on others reviews, and due to the legnth because I had a long road trip ahead of me. Listening to the first short story, I wondered if I had made the right decision, by the end of the first story (The Man with the Eyes) I was in love with Callahan's Place! I found myself sitting in my car just to hear the rest of the chapter. I also purchased the other one Spider Robbinson book that Audible has (Callahan's Key) and have listened to all 12 hours of that in record time as well. The characters are very loveable, and I found part of myself in each one. "Shared pain is lessened;
Shared joy is increased"

Spider Robinson is not only a gifted science fiction author, he is a gifted humanist, and it shows in this book exceptionally. I never laughed so hard when listening to a book before. The reading of this version is excellent and I found a new appreciation for characters voices in interestingly and unique ways. I've read the entire series and can't recommend enough that if you enjoy science fiction, humor, and excellent stories you must listen/read this.

Although I love science fiction, I don't read just everything and that's my only excuse for not having found Calahan's before. There are a lot of in jokes, many of which I get. This is for people who don't mind thinking about what they heard. I agree with a previous reviewer that the lack of breaks between stories is mildly irritating. The biggest drawback I had was that if I were reading it would be easy to go back over things like some of the riddles. Maybe Audible could have a link to an online addendum for visual jokes and riddles. The sections are wonderfully set up for the beginning of each story. There is a dark section that I might not listen to each time. You can't help but care about the characters. I will definately buy everything that Audible offers, and maybe even buy the books as well. Advantage to the audio version in that we get to hear a couple of the songs instead of just reading them. I guess that balances out not being able to see the riddles.

Consider that Heinlein's estate has chosen to allow Spider to write a book which was completely outlined and populated with characters but never actually fleshed out into a book. So this guy is good enough to be Heinlein's co-author.

The audiobook is made up of the novels Callahan’s Crosstime Saloon, Time Travelers Strictly Cash, and Callahan’s Secret. These three books contain the stories of Mike Callahan and the visitors to his bar somewhere in the Northeast. It is the type of place with the type of people that all of us would like to find. Where no one is a stranger for long and people are willing to lend a helping hand.

I first read paperback versions of these books years ago and could not get enough of Spider Robinson’s writing after that. His sense of humor fits perfectly into what I find funny and the audiobook does a great job of conveying it.

Warning: if you do not like dry humor and puns, this series is not for you.

The first three collections of Spider Robinson's stories about Callahan's Place, dating from the 70s and 80s, originally published in Analog, are collected in this omnibus edition. Though each story stands on its own, there are enough threads connecting them all that this can accurately be described as more than just a collection.The characters of course. But more than that, the philosophy, summed up in Robinson's and Callahan's maxim that "shared pain is lessened, shared joy increased".

For someone new to Callahan's world, like me, these stories mostly read as fresh, despite being slightly dated (although change Vietnam to Iraq, and most of the issues Robinson tackles are still relevant). For veterans of Callahan's, I'm sure there is nothing I can say that you don't already know. The only thing I can add for this audio edition is that the narration is a good fit with the writing style -- if you've read the books, listening to the audiobook would be a great way to revisit them.

My only caution, in hindsight -- as this is a collection of three books, I wish I had listened to them one at a time, reading something else in between, and then returned to read the next volume. 15 hours in a row does not do the material justice, just as the 15th slice of even the best pizza is not going to be as good as the first if you eat them all in one sitting. Otherwise, good stuff for newcomers and longtime denizens alike.